MithraPride

You don't look a year over 200!

Today we celebrate the bravery of men like Will Smith who defeated the alien menace that threatened our way of life. If it wasn't for those fine men and women, there would be no barbecue's, no fireworks, and no horrific injuries that result when some drunk tries to set off fireworks from his pants in a feudal effort to impress some lady he likes.

So today, grill some burgers and bratwursts, drink a beer, and celebrate the birth of this fine nation by blowing up a small piece of it!

Today marks the 230'th year of our declaring our Independance from England. It took a bit longer for them to take us seriously though. Props to the French for having our backs during that scuffle.

Didn't we support them when they broke free from their monarchy?

Also, a little history for you all: The famous quote from Queen Marie Antoinette: "Let them eat cake." is in reference to the starving masses of France. Back then "Cake" referred to a cheap mealy bread that wasn't very nutritious.

So basically she could care less about her people; a BIG mistake numerous leaders have made.

Keavy wrote: Also, a little history for you all: The famous quote from Queen Marie Antoinette: "Let them eat cake." is in reference to the starving masses of France. Back then "Cake" referred to a cheap mealy bread that wasn't very nutritious.

Ummmm.... not quite. Cake is what bakers scrape out of ovens after a baking session. As in caked on crud. But to imply that Queen Marie Antoinette was in touch with how the food that landed on the royal table was produced enough to know this usage is a big stretch.

After studying history, my view of Marie Antoinette is someone as airheadded as Brittany Spears, with no vocal talent, but who was sheltered from all reality while growing up.

I believe she was so out of touch with anything like reality outside of palace life that she honestly did not understand how people could be hungry while she saw such an abundance of food daily. And that is a far bigger insult than anything deliberate could ever be.

Edit:

Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birthday to all of us, can we have our country back now?

Sorry, I confused cake with something else.

Anyways, she said that after she was asked what was to be done with the starving masses.

I'm not going to get into a historical debate as, since it's not in my Major, I tend to forget most of the details. ;D

But I will say that, as I remember it, the French were inspired by the successful American Revolution, though we didn't help them directly in their struggle.

Happy B-Day, America.

Althaia wrote:I'm not going to get into a historical debate as, since it's not in my Major, I tend to forget most of the details. ;D

But I will say that, as I remember it, the French were inspired by the successful American Revolution, though we didn't help them directly in their struggle.

Happy B-Day, America.

thats my understanding of it too, but like you I don't know much French history

Stupid French

The French Revolution is like the American Civil War. There's a lot to it and the actual cause is near impossible to pin down because there's a lot that led to it but we often sum it up with the more commonly known reason. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Anyways, the issue with Antoinette's comment came about because the working masses were starving but the Aristocrats were incredibly well fed. Like in Africa, it wasn't that there wasn't enough food (or money) to go around, its that a corrupted government was hoarding it. Democracy, at the time, was favored because the thought was that with many people in charge, there would be less corruption and the checks and balances could be used to usurp a power hungry individual or congress.

We (The World) have given billions in aid to Africa since the "Live Aid" and all that started and the masses are starving to death (STILL!!!) and their leaders live in mansions that put most in The Hampton's to shame and drive Bentley's and we're still giving them billions in aid and food! While I do feel bad for the starving masses, I hate to see money and food wasted like that. Anyways, like with France, most people in the 21st century dying of starvation do so because of corruption in government, not because of a lack in food.

Slavery, in case anyone was wondering, started en masse in the early 1800's when in Carolina they started growing rice. The land was excellent for making rice, but the machines needed to plant and harvest rice were too heavy; they would get stuck because the land couldn't support them. So slaves were brought in to plant and harvest the rice. When it was discovered that the land near Louisiana was just as good for growing rice and was stable enough to support equipment that's when many slaves were moved to cotton, which is more commonly associated with slavery.

In Brazil, the slaves there practiced a martial art that was turned into a dance. The idea was that they could "Entertain" themselves while they trained in preparation to overthrow and murder their masters. I don't remember the name of the martial arts style but it is still widely practiced to this day.

And in this well fed country, congress just raised the intrest rates on student loans to try and cover the massive deficits brought about by tax cuts for the wealthy and the wierd idea that private companies with $50K+/year mercanaires and a profit motive are cheaper than PFCs.



In the last 20 years America has made tremendous gains in productivity bringing in many billions to the economy. In the last six years, tax policy has given 50% of those bilions to the top .5% weathliest people in the country.

I want my country back. And I want our money back. Tax the rich? EAT the rich.

But people do not revolt over tax law. Gas prices maybe, but not tax law.

Keavy wrote:In Brazil, the slaves there practiced a martial art that was turned into a dance. The idea was that they could "Entertain" themselves while they trained in preparation to overthrow and murder their masters. I don't remember the name of the martial arts style but it is still widely practiced to this day.

I believe that's Capoiera.

Unfortunatly its that way in every goverment.

Monarchy = nobles
Theocracy = church

so on so on

There will always be rich and they will always find ways to get richer, and there is nothing that can be done about it. If we eat them, they will just be replaced by others and the cycle will never stop. The best thing about Capitalism is that everyone has a chance to become rich. From inventing stupid gimics like Popeal (spelling >.>) or sing horribly bad music written by someone else like Brittney (Is really Satan) Spears. >.> /rant

Well we celebrated our 230th by popping some starburst flares and raining some good ole fashioned descrution on some Durka's lauching rockets our way.

Happy Birthday Everyone. and Thank GOD we are not run by French, hippies or Librels.....

I guess I'm being Cynical though. >.> No offense Intended

Kessa wrote:The best thing about Capitalism is that everyone has a chance to become rich. From inventing stupid gimics like Popeal (spelling >.>) or sing horribly bad music written by someone else like Brittney (Is really Satan) Spears. >.> /rant

I guess I'm being Cynical though. >.> No offense Intended

Actually Sgt. kitty, I think you are being incredibly idealistic.

Kistala wrote:

Keavy wrote:In Brazil, the slaves there practiced a martial art that was turned into a dance. The idea was that they could "Entertain" themselves while they trained in preparation to overthrow and murder their masters. I don't remember the name of the martial arts style but it is still widely practiced to this day.

I believe that's Capoiera.

Found a little page on Capoiera

Great Britain has a monarchy, they don't do much though

People bitch and moan about 50% of the money being in the top .5% of the populace, or some other number which they or some pundit pulled out of the ether. But what you never hear anyone say is how they don't keep it.

They give it away to charity. This charity, before you level any fingers in accusation because of who runs it, does the following. (And I quote.)

"Their foundation's activities, internationally famous, are focused on world health -- fighting such diseases as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis -- and on improving U.S. libraries and high schools."

40 Billion Dollars. Donated.


Yes, America is a greedy lazy fat country. So concerned with it's own wealth and wellbeing. Yes, we are SOOOO GREEDY, we never do anything for our neighbors, we are total dicks. Screw other nations, why should we help them?

There's plenty of bad coming out of our nation, but that doesn't mean there isn't good coming from it, too!

The problem, really, is people focusing on only the good or the bad, and not having a balanced view of things.

This past Tuesday, however, was a day for lauding the good. Working on the bad can be done on the other 364 days of the year.



That's how I see it, anyways.

Now if only all of the multi millionairs in this country were even 1/10 as generous as Warren Buffet or Bill Gates, the vast majority of the world's problems would dissapear in a decade.

THEY do not give it away, HE gave it away.

Some wealthy people are socially responsible. Bill Gates' dad led a group of multi millionairs who fought and lobbies AGAINST the bush tax cut.

Funny, the "liberal press" just never reported that one much.....

I used to work at a TV station that relied on the generosity of people to keep us on the air. Its a concept known as Public Broadcasting (Pointing that out for those who live outside the U.S. in case it doesn't exist in Britain.)

Basically how it works is we show various programs, stuff like old British TV shows like "Are You Being Served?" or "Doctor Who" and also Operas, Documentaries, Self-Help and Financial seminars, anyways, all kinds of crazy crap and people are asked for money and in return they get a tax deduction and a gift.

Problem is Cable is offering a wider variety and since most of the population has it they see no reason to donate. Which is why I no longer work there.

Anyways, my point is if people feel that a cause is worthy and they have the money to do so they will donate the money. I don't have the exact figures or a source, but it has been shown that when taxes are low people are more generous when it comes to charitable donations. We also buy more stuff, but hey, charity starts at home, right?

[quote="Tsybil]

Actually Sgt. kitty, I think you are being incredibly idealistic.[/quote]

A kitty can dream

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GET ONE NOW!!!

Tsybil wrote:Now if only all of the multi millionairs in this country were even 1/10 as generous as Warren Buffet or Bill Gates, the vast majority of the world's problems would dissapear in a decade.

The US and UN donate millions upon millions of dollars in food and medical aid to African countries, enough to make up for what they can't offer to support themselves. Yet each year, the dead from lack of proper medical care and starvation continue to mount at a frightening pace.

Tsybil, there is corruption in some countries that no amount of donations can save. If we gave twice as much to those countries, that's just twice as much the dictators would get once they intercept the aid convoy's.

Eviticus wrote: Tsybil, there is corruption in some countries that no amount of donations can save. If we gave twice as much to those countries, that's just twice as much the dictators would get once they intercept the aid convoy's.

We, that is the US government, aids and acedes in this crouption. This is how we pay off our friends, keep them on our side, and help them get rich. Its called "Foregin Policy".

This is also why more and more aid is being offered through NGOs, Non Goverentmental Orginazations. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for one.

Our government does spend some foregin aid directly on helping the local populations, and a bit more building things for other countries. But the vast majority is either given directly to the local government, or is in "Military Aid", we write a check, they endorse it, GE gets the cash, they get F 16s and a nice kickback.

No one has a better job than our chosen third world dictators. Nothing beats vacationing on the Rivera, fighting for freedom, and getting paid all at the same time.

Indeed we have overthrown more than one democraticly elected government to install a hand picked and croupt dictator. "We have worked against demoracy in the intrests of security and gotten neither." Condi Rice. (Not an exact quote, but close.)

I have always wondered if our elected officals at least got kickbacks from this. I kind of hope so otherwise this practice is truly incomprehensible as well as indefenceable and deplorable.

Well you also have countries like Sri Lanka. I was part of a MEU (Marine Expitditionary Unit) sent there for disaster relief after the Tsunami hit. We had tons of food, water, and medical supplies on navy ships waiting to send it in.

They wouldn't take the food because it wasn't "Organic"
They refused the water and the medical supplies because Americans are "Heathens" and we deserve to burn in hell >.>

So more people suffered because of their own ignorance. We were all sitting there off shore laughing at them because of their goverment is being retarted.

In Afghanistan and Iraq the hardest thing we had to do was teach these people how to take care of themselves. They had no desire to, they wanted everything done for them. Its the same for most of the Afican countries with "dictators'. Thats why they are in power, the majority of the people there are sheep. They have no initiative or desire to take care of themselves let alone govern.

I have 14 years left till i retire out of the Marines. I will most likely spent 10-12 of them in some other country fixing their messes in the name of humanitarian aid. Stop blaming the US Goverment for their problems. I've learned first hand that it is 95% their own making.

Americans are the same way which is why I moved out of the clinical setting of the medical field. I got tired of "helping" morbidly obese patients with bad hips, blown-out knees, and sleep apnea who always whined whenever the doctor tried to put them on a diet and exercise plan. "What about Meridia? I hear that's good" was a typical response we'd get and I got sick of it.

So now I get to type up reports on these people.

Oh I agree Fully with you Keavy. Americans are Lazy, Fat, and Ignorant just like the rest of the world. We just have a tolerant goverment that will allow that to happen. They dont have to worry about armed soliders chasing them from their homes, or anything of the sort. We protect them from that so they can become obese nasty civilians its their right >.>

(Thats a whole other tangent that drives me to fits of seething rage...fat, lazy x.x)

But there are enough people in the US that are independent enough to become their own person, and become very successful. They have the drive and desire to get ahead. That doesnt exist in alot of other places. they just roll over and let whatever walk all over them. That is what we need to change, but I dont think it ever will.

Kessa wrote:They wouldn't take the food because it wasn't "Organic"
They refused the water and the medical supplies because Americans are "Heathens" and we deserve to burn in hell >.>

We (UK) had something similar happen recently I think. It might even be for the same cause but I really can't remember.
Think they ended up throwing all the food we sent them away, whether it was them or the UN that said they couldn't take it I can't remember either ^^;

Wouldn't take it cuz it wasn't organic???? What in the hell? It's food for f&#*'s sake!!! ><

I want people to know: I have human compassion. I am not totally heartless. The problem I have is like with this person: She gained ten pounds in seven days. 1 pound = 3,600 kilocarories which means she consumed 36,000 calories she DID NOT METABOLIZE in SEVEN DAYS!!!

Do you have any idea how much food that is?

The only people who can do that without gorging on food are people with thyroid issues and to be honest, there is NO F***ING WAY we've gone from having a population with rare thyroid issues to a population with pretty much everyone having thyroid issues yet every person who we saw said it had to be a thyroid problem that caused their massive mass.

So yeah, these people piss me off. Basically anyone who can change the way they are yet refuse to. Like the lady who lived 3 blocks from her work yet drove to and from work.

I have an idea for you, Kessa: Okay, so the Al Qaida peeps have children as human shields so how about this: We send over these worthless sacks of humanity as human shields for you! I mean, for vehicles it is impractical...

Kintrra wrote:Wouldn't take it cuz it wasn't organic???? What in the hell? It's food for f&#*'s sake!!! ><

There have been more than one case where direct food aid has been turned down because it was believed it was genetically modified. I wonder if this is actually one of those.

Translated from Doubletalk "Give us money to buy food. It is hard to skim money off aid when the aid is rice and beans."

The first time I heard of something like this, it was in the Philipines, after a disasterous bout of monsoon floding. We dispatched doctors and medicines directly from Clark and Subic. Fredanand and Imeldia insisted that Philipine doctors do the work, and demanded the meds and cash. We gave it to them.

I was under 20 at the time and even then cynical enough to wonder if ANY of the medicines reached the people in the affected aera. Medicines are so much more compact / dollar value than rice and beans.

Keavy wrote: I have an idea for you, Kessa: Okay, so the Al Qaida peeps have children as human shields so how about this: We send over these worthless sacks of humanity as human shields for you! I mean, for vehicles it is impractical...

All we have to do is prod them to move as fast we need them to, maybe a fishing pole w/ a big mac

Kessa wrote:

Keavy wrote: I have an idea for you, Kessa: Okay, so the Al Qaida peeps have children as human shields so how about this: We send over these worthless sacks of humanity as human shields for you! I mean, for vehicles it is impractical...

All we have to do is prod them to move as fast we need them to, maybe a fishing pole w/ a big mac

Cattle prods. Far more appropriate.